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Stories and Photos from St. Ann Center’s Stein Campus on Milwaukee’s Bay View and St. Francis neighborhood, 2801 E. Morgan Avenue.

Love Is in the Air at St. Ann Center

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Hearts were racing around the Stein Campus—literally—during an all-campus Valentine’s Day celebration on Feb. 12th.

Clients fell in love with the idea of some friendly competition in the atrium. Donning sandwich board hearts, runners, walkers and some using wheelchairs sped around a short course as fellow clients cheered them on. The winners were treated to a free visit to the St. Ann Center café.

Rounding out the morning activities was a program featuring romantic ballads sung by the staff, a few jokes (How did the phone propose to his girlfriend? He gave her a ring!) and a tribute to artist Esther Howland, who was the first entrepreneur to publish and sell valentine cards in the United States.

Happily, love was in the cards for all ages on this special day. Hundreds of valentines, carefully handcrafted by the childcare kids and adult clients, were exchanged. As a special surprise, students from neighboring Fernwood Montessori School made valentines for St. Ann Center’s adults as a special intergenerational class project.

And while temperatures were frigid outside, there was nothing but warm feelings inside as clients finished up the laughter-filled celebration with an impromptu dance party.

Caring Friends Deliver the Very Best St. Ann Center Christmas Ever!

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The giving spirit is alive and well around St. Ann Center this holiday season. Despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Greater Milwaukee area businesses and community organizations stepped up to ensure our children and adult clients have a Christmas to remember!

The staff at Zimmerman Architectural Studios, Harwood Engineering and Venture Architects gave Santa’s elves a run for their money—spending weeks shopping for just the right gifts for both St. Ann Center’s childcare kids—ranging from infants to school-age—and the elders and adults with disabilities who spend their day at the center. The week before Christmas, they stopped by with bags bulging with wished-for presents—games, sweaters, sports swag, coloring books, purses, sneakers, pajamas and blankets, included.

Allied Industries, Inc. of Cudahy followed Santa’s lead by donating several boxes of brand-new children’s books and puzzles.

Other caring companies held Christmas fundraisers, donating to St. Ann Center’s gift fund. Employees from We Energies, Hays Companies of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the South Shore Yacht Club Auxiliary made sure all the adults and children at both the Stein and Bucyrus Campuses received a present selected especially for them. United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County chipped in, too, with gift cards for the clients. And Sr. Celestine Kalunge, Dr. Brooke Hansen and Kim Scalese saw to it all the adults at the Bucyrus Campus received a fleece blanket and coffee mug to help them keep warm all winter.

St. Ann Center’s Board Room turned into Christmas Wrapping Central, as staffers tied up the holiday preparations with a bow. Santa joined Sr. Edna Lonergan, the center’s president, for the gift opening, paying a personal visit to the Bucyrus Campus and dropping in via Zoom at the Stein Campus.

We hope the smiles in these photos convey the joy these generous people brought to St. Ann Center’s children and clients. On behalf of all of us, Merry Christmas and have a Blessed New Year!

Clearing the Air at St. Ann Center

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Spending time inside St. Ann Center will truly be a breath of fresh air, thanks to some modern technology that mimics Mother Nature.

A system known as Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI) is being installed at both the Stein and Bucyrus Campuses. “This is another step we’re taking to keep our clients, children and staff healthy during this time of flu and COVID-19,” said Chief Development Officer Chris Jackson.

Outside, nature uses ions (atoms or molecules with an electrical charge) that are created by lightning, waterfalls and ocean waves to break apart unnatural toxins. Inside, the NPBI technology creates ions that are dispersed through a building’s ventilation system. The ions latch onto particles of dust, dander, pollen, etc. and make them come together into large clusters that are easy to trap in an air filtration system.

In the case of viruses, bacteria and mold, the ions bond with these pathogens and disrupt their surface proteins, rendering them harmless.

The NPBI system is being installed by Johnson Controls. Next Door Milwaukee funded this installation for all its Head Start sites, including the Bucyrus Campus childcare wing. Other grants, including one from the Bradley Foundation, covered the cost of the technology throughout the rest of the buildings.

Pumpkin Contest Brings Clients Out of Their Shells

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The Great Pumpkin arrived at the Stein Campus a week early and brought several of his friends with him. Clients from all of the adult units carved out time this month to decorate Styrofoam pumpkins. The result was an amazing just-for-fun contest with 55 entries!

Selecting the pick of the patch was difficult, but five were singled out for being especially gourd-geous:

Funniest Pumpkin: Robert J. (Robert is known for wearing cool sunglasses, and decided to create a self-portrait pumpkin, complete with green shades.)

Most Colorful Pumpkin: Karen Baranowski (Karen loves making jewelry, and so it’s no wonder she bedecked her multicolored creation with beads.)

Scariest Pumpkin: Roger Mai (Roger’s creepy masterpiece features a spooky spider weaving a wonderfully intricate web.)

Most Creative Pumpkin: Mary Collins (Mary added a touch of nature to her pretty pumpkin, perching a butterfly on its head.)

Best in Show Pumpkin: Tracy Smith (Tracy, who can only use one of her hands, used pipe cleaners to add perky personality to her jolly jack-o’-lantern.)

All the pumpkin artists were awarded with ice cream to celebrate their amazing work.

Blessing of the Animals at St. Ann Center

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Animals of all types, shapes and sizes are invited to receive a special blessing on Friday, Oct. 2, at 10 a.m. at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care.

Deacon Pat LaPointe, Pastoral Coordinator for South Shore Parishes of Milwaukee, will preside at this celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron of animals. The blessing, a beloved annual tradition at St. Ann Center’s Stein Campus, will again take place in the east parking lot. The address is 2801 E. Morgan Ave.

Pet owners should wear masks and keep at least 6 feet apart from others attending. Those who would like a blessing for their pet but don’t want to bring the animal can bring their pet’s picture, collar, leash or toy.

For more information, call Rodican Rose Bonn, St. Ann Center’s Director of Pastoral Care, at (414) 977-5075.